


One Day Late

by paintedsunsets



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Childhood, Gen, Kid Fic, Teenagers, Tropetastic Tuesday, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-11-22 16:30:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11384034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paintedsunsets/pseuds/paintedsunsets
Summary: What if Rhett and Link had met the second day of 1st grade instead of the first day?





	One Day Late

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Tropetastic Tuesday Week 17: What If? Alternative reality to a particular event written from both perspectives - 500 words. Take a written snapshot of a moment in Mythical history if it was turned upside down. 
> 
> I know this is twice the word limit so don't yell at me. ;) 
> 
> Thank you to TheGreyHenley for all the help and encouragement.

The day before the first day of 1st grade, Rhett made sure his backpack was ready and picked out what clothes he would wear. His mom had promised to make him his favorite lunch. Rhett was excited for the first day of first grade. He may have been only six years old, but he knew it was going to be one of the most important days of his life. 

Ever since he was five, he had a strange sense he was incomplete, one half of a whole. There was someone he was destined to meet but he didn’t know who it was. He just knew he had to be at school on the first day of first grade. 

So, when Rhett woke up that morning with a fever and nausea, he felt like the worst possible thing had happened. He tried to eat breakfast but vomited that up, so his mom told him he had to stay home that day and called him in sick to school.

“Mom, I have to go! It’s the first day and you’re not allowed to miss that,” Rhett said with tears in his eyes. 

“It’s okay, honey” his mom replied. “Nothing important happens the first day. Now go back to bed and you’ll feel better later.” 

Rhett spent the day sleeping off his fever, with a terrible feeling that he was missing something.

Link walked into Ms. Locklear’s 1st grade classroom and looked for a place to sit, finally choosing a seat next to an empty desk. Ms. Locklear took attendance and one by one the students answered “here”. One student was absent: Rhett McLaughlin. When Link heard that name, his heart skipped a beat, and he knew in an instant he wanted to know this boy who had missed the first day of school. 

Later that morning, Link was bored and thought it would be funny if he wrote a swear word on the desk. Then he realized he’d be in trouble and he did not want to go to the principal’s office alone. That day passed, and even though Link was having fun with his classmates and gaining a few new friends, he felt like something was supposed to be different. 

Rhett woke up the next day feeling much better. There was no way he was going to miss school again. He was so excited he almost tripped on his way to the school bus. 

When he walked into his classroom, Ms. Locklear greeted him and showed him to the only empty desk. He looked at the brown-haired boy sitting next to him and smiled. The boy grinned back and said “Hi, I’m Link! Are you Rhett? You weren’t here yesterday.” 

“Yeah” Rhett answered, feeling suddenly happy. He knew then they would know each other for a long time. 

When Link first saw Rhett, he felt shy, but as soon as Rhett sat down at the desk next to him, something changed. It’s like this new tall kid had given him extra confidence. He decided that today would be a good day to write swear words on the desk now that he had a buddy to get in trouble with. Rhett found this idea funny and was happy to go along with it. 

When they got sent to the principal’s office, Link wasn’t even nervous. The principal had a deep voice and a stern face which made Link think of all the possible punishments they might receive. It ended up being the greatest punishment he had ever had. The principal told them to sit down and gave them some coloring books with pictures of mythical beasts. Link didn’t know why but this made him happy. He looked at Rhett, and they grinned at each other. He knew then they would be best friends. 

Over the next few days, Link introduced Rhett to the other students in class but Rhett found he didn’t like the other kids nearly as much he liked Link. He’d watch as Link would talk to his classmate friends with ease and he wondered why he couldn’t do the same. Rhett felt somewhat awkward around the other kids, like they were judging him for missing the first day. 

And that's how it continued throughout their school years together: Link taking the lead, Rhett content to follow along. As long as Link was there to take charge of their adventures and get them out of trouble, Rhett was happy.

In senior year of high school, Rhett and Link decided they wanted to go to film school at the University of North Carolina in Asheville. They loved making videos and enjoyed making people laugh so film school seemed like an obvious choice for their post high school plans. 

When Rhett told his parents, his dad got angry. “Film school?!” his dad shouted “That’s not going to get you anywhere!”

“But, Link and I have this planned out. It’s what we want to do!” Rhett replied, feeling his heart rate rise in frustration.

“You’re a McLaughlin. You will be getting a real degree so you can get an actual job that’s worth something. That’s final,” his dad answered sternly. 

Rhett felt defeated. He dreaded telling Link their dream had been ripped away. 

“I can’t go to film school. My dad won’t let me. Sorry. You can still go if you want” Rhett said quietly as he and Link were sitting on a couch listening to music at Link’s house. 

“What the hell, man! What do you mean he won’t let you? He’s not your boss!” Link replied, almost shouting. Rhett felt nervous, and started to stammer an answer but stopped.

Link shut off the stereo and turned to face Rhett, looking him in the eyes. In a quiet but firm voice, Link said, “I am not going without you. It’s part of our destiny. We’re best friends, and we do stuff together. We took a damn blood oath in middle school. That cannot be broken. Come on. Your dad will get over it someday. You don’t have to listen to him!” 

Rhett took a minute to think. He knew he and Link were destined to be best friends the day they met, and he didn’t want to imagine a life where they weren’t by each other’s side in some way. 

He feared how angry his dad might be, but he was more scared of ruining the plans he and Link had made.

Rhett grinned at Link and answered. “You’re right. Who cares what my dad thinks. We’re going to film school!”

Link was so happy he embraced Rhett in a hug and let an “I love you” slip out of his mouth. 

Rhett’s eyes went wide and Link felt his face go red. “Like a brother,” Link said quickly.

A sense of excitement and mild confusion washed over Rhett. He realized he loved Link too but did not feel ready to say it, so he smiled and went to turn the stereo back on. 

Sometimes Rhett wondered how things would be different if he and Link had met on the first day of school instead of the second. He’d find himself daydreaming about possible what-if scenarios. Now he felt relieved he had missed the first day; everything was how it should be and he didn’t want to imagine it any other way.


End file.
